260 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



the Odium of it will fall on ye Just as well as ye Unjust ! All 

 the Ladies of Winchester will be Furies, & All the Prebendaries 

 Bears. 



The Dean being obliged to leave Winchester soon to go to 

 Ld Edgecombe's, Mrs Ogle has put off Mrs Mulso's & my 

 Brother's Visit ; but That will only hasten them to Us. Perhaps 

 they may linger the more at Farnham where they are to call in 

 their Way, but will not stay there long. 



Farewell, My dear Friend ; receive my repeated Thanks. 

 I am, Dear Gil, Ever afftely Your's, 



J. Mulso. 



Letter 164. 

 Eeverend Mr White Winchester, 



Selbourne near Alton, Hants. Jan : 7, '76. 



Dear Gil : 



As You say that You are upon the Wing for London, I 

 make Haste to answer your Letter, that it may help to amuse 

 You at Selbourne. I am sorry to find that You are but just 

 upon the Confines of Health ; but You are well off that the 

 Influenza has given You Leave to keep abroad ; it is best engaged 

 in a fair Field. We tender Invalids have the worst of it, the 

 Combat with Us is long & sore. My whole Household have had 

 it more or less ; but Mrs Mulso & Myself have suffer'd wth 

 greivous Coughs, of which we are not well yet. I am now con- 

 fined by That & my old painfull Complaint, & prevented from 

 preaching Today in my Turn. I had kept House 'till Fryday 

 Night for near a Week, when I went but to the next Door to Mr 

 BuUer's Ball to see my Children dance wth many Others : I 

 stood for near an Hour, which I think brought on this Ailment, 

 & a Fit of Coughing is now as Daggers to me. I dined yesterday 

 where I met Mr Airson who always asks after You & your 

 Neighbours ; I communicated to Him your Intelligence, & we 

 rejoyced together. Such a Will as You describe is so far from 

 valid, that I should think No one would attempt to litigate on 

 so slight a Foundation. I congratulate You on so fine a Fortune 

 having fallen into your Family :'•' It has justified the old Eastern 

 Adige, That a good Deed never goes unrewarded. I should not 

 preferr a Change of your Air to that of London, but in general 

 a Change of Air is the best Eeceipt for this Cold, & I hope You 

 will find it so : We must say little about weather at this Time 

 of Year, but certainly we have wonderfuU quick Transitions from 



* Thomas White at this time by the death of an annuitant came into 

 full possession of property in Essex under the wiU of his great uncle, in the 

 half blood, Thomas Holt. 



